Crib mattress cover

Abstract

A crib mattress cover has a top panel and a bottom panel sewn together and configured to fit over a rectangular crib mattress. One end of the cover is open, and a plurality of securing elements are attached along the opposing edges of the panels, on the interior surfaces thereof. When the securing members, which may be hook and loop fasteners, or a zipper, are joined together, the cover tightly fits over the mattress and cannot be easily dislodged by an infant resting in the crib.

I claim:  
     
       1. A crib mattress cover, comprising: 
       a generally rectangular top panel and a generally rectangular bottom panel configured to form an opening sized and shaped to receive a crib mattress therein, said cover having an open end defined by opposing edges of the top panel and the bottom panel, and  
       a means attached to interior surfaces of said top panel and the bottom panel for securing the opposing edges and releaseably closing said open end of the cover, said securing means being a zipper, said top panel and said bottom panel forming a pair of flaps adjacent opposite ends of the zipper when the panels are secured together with the zipper, said flaps carrying hook-and-loop fasteners, and wherein matching hook-and-loop fasteners are secured on an outer surface of the panels a distance from an outermost edge of the panels to allow said fasteners to be joined together and cover at least a portion of said zipper.  
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of securing members, each of said securing members carrying hook and loop fasteners for mating engagement of the securing members of the top panel and the bottom panel. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , wherein said opposing edges are provided with a hem formed in said top panel and said bottom panel to define a double-thickness portion extending along said opposing edges. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3 , wherein said securing members are attached to said double-thickness portion. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 2 , wherein said securing members are attached a distance from said opposing edges. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said top panel and said bottom panel are sewn together along elongated sides and a closed end, and wherein said closed end is configured to fit a rectangular end of the crib mattress. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said top panel and said bottom panel each have a length greater than the length of the mattress to accommodate the thickness of the mattress. 
     
     
       8. A crib mattress cover, comprising: 
       a generally rectangular top panel and a generally rectangular bottom panel configured to form an opening sized and shaped to receive a crib mattress therein, said cover having an open end defined by opposing edges of the top panel and the bottom panel, and  
       a means attached to the opposing edges of said top panel and the bottom panel for securing the opposing edges and releaseably closing said open end of the cover, said securing means comprising a zipper, said top panel and said bottom panel forming a pair of flaps adjacent opposing ends of the zipper when the panels are secured together with the zipper, said flaps carrying hook-and-loop fasteners, and wherein matching hook-and-loop fasteners are secured on an outer surface of the panels a distance from an outermost edge of the panels to allow said fasteners to be joined together and cover at least a portion of said zipper.  
     
     
       9. A method of enclosing a crib mattress, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a mattress cover comprised of a generally rectangular top panel and a generally rectangular bottom panel configured to form an opening sized and shaped to receive a crib mattress therein, said cover having an open end defined by opposing edges of the top panel and the bottom panel, and a plurality of securing members attached to interior surfaces of said top panel and said bottom panel;  
       inserting the mattress into said opening and moving said opposing edges away from an end of the mattress;  
       securing the opposing edges of the top panel and the bottom panel by engaging the securing members together, thereby releaseably closing said open end of the cover and enclosing the mattress in the cover, said securing members comprising a zipper;  
       forming a pair of flaps on opposite ends of the zipper and providing a fastener on each of said flaps and on said panels; and  
       securing said fasteners on said flaps and said panels, thereby covering at least a portion of said zipper.  
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said top panel and said bottom panel each have a length slightly greater than the length of said mattress, such that the cover tightly fits over the mattress when the securing members are joined to close the open end of the cover. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said top panel and said bottom panel are sewn together along elongated sides and a closed end, and wherein said closed end is configured to fit a rectangular end of the crib mattress.